Poloxamers are water-soluble triblock copolymers composed of hydrophilic polyethylene oxide (PEO) and hydrophobic polypropylene oxide (PPO) blocks linked together. The amphiphilic nature of these block copolymers can be varied by controlling the length of the PEO and/or PPO block components (Ahmed et al., 2001). Several members of this poloxamer family of chemicals (such as poloxamer 188 and 407 are known to be biocompatible and non-toxic to mammalian cells and tissues, making them useful fir biomedical applications. These compounds are surface acting (or “surface active”) agents (i.e. “surfactants”) and known to incorporate into or onto mammalian cell membranes, and thereby reduce protein adsorption and cell adhesion.
The skin serves as a protective barrier against the environment. The skin serves as a barrier to infection and prevents the loss of water and electrolytes from the body. Thus, the loss of the integrity of large portions of the skin as a result of illness or injury can lead to major disability or even death.
Every year in the United States there are 1.1 million burn patients who require medical attention and 6.5 million patients are reported to have chronic skin ulcers caused by pressure, venous stasis, or diabetes mellitus. Thus, acceleration of skin wound healing has been an active area of medical research and improved designs of skin repair materials have been sought for decades.
There is a long felt need in the art for compositions and methods useful for treating injuries and wounds topically. The present invention addresses the need by providing novel formulations and methods of treating skin and other soft tissues that enhance oxygenation, reduce bacteria at the treated site, improve healing, and any combination thereof.